Chief secy to go before SC panel on May 13

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes will on May 13 conduct a hearing on the non-implementation of the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) in Punjab.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes will on May 13 conduct a hearing on the non-implementation of the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) in Punjab.

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Earlier, commission chairman PL Punia had directed the Punjab Government to find out how many welfare schemes under the plan had not been implemented and present the action-taken report by May 13. Chief secretary Rakesh Singh, principal secretary of finance Satish Chandra and welfare secretary Anurag Aggarwal are to be present in that hearing of a complaint that Paramjit Singh Kainth, president of the Chamar Mahan Sabha, has lodged.

Under the Planning Commission guidelines, the SCSP is to be prepared every year, with allocation at least in proportion to the Scheduled Caste population, which is 28.85% in Punjab.

In the financial year 2012- 13, the state government had allocated Rs 4,039 crore to the schemes for the uplift of the SC community by providing for residential schools, student hostels, coaching centres for competitive examinations in all districts, reimbursement of college fees, self-financing courses, and working women's hostels etc.